The Golden State Warriors grabbed center Damian Jones with the last pick of the first round of June's NBA draft. Jones was expected to help fill the Warriors' void at center, but it appears that he will have to wait to get a shot at manning the middle in Oakland.
CSN Bay Area reports that Warriors general manager Bob Myers said in an interview with 95.7 The Game that "it's gonna be hard" for Jones to crack the Warriors rotation this season, in part due to his recovery from a pectoral injury he suffered in the lead-up the draft.
"He's healthy, which is good," Myers said on 95.7 The Game. "He had a pectoral injury -- it's better than having a lower body thing ... but it's gonna take a little while for him. He's got all the things we need -- size, athleticism, shot blocking, rim running."
Jones, 21, played three seasons at Vanderbilt where he tantalized with his elite athleticism but struggled with inconsistency. The Warriors lost centers Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli to a trade and free agency, respectively. The Warriors signed JaVale McGee, whose solid play this season has given them the ability to take their time with Jones. The seven-foot center recently made his D-League debut with the Santa Cruz Warriors where he's averaged 2.7 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in three appearances.
--Sam Henken
